


steel strings.

by badaltin



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Jjbek, M/M, Music, Pre-Canon, could be read as platonic, otabek in canada
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 10:17:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14103216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badaltin/pseuds/badaltin
Summary: Guitars, Otabek decides, are a lot like people. They expand and constrict with the seasons; each has a different voice and different capabilities. When not properly tuned, they don’t function to their full potential - and some are more prone to sliding out of tune than others. JJ gets out of bed and tries his best every day, and he’s beautiful for it. He shines bright and burns hot, trying to outpace his inner doubts and anxieties; but even he falls flat sometimes.





	steel strings.

**Author's Note:**

> this fandom needs more jjbek, so here's me dipping my toes in the water.
> 
> cross-posted on [tumblr with fanart](http://badaltin.tumblr.com/post/171779680430/first-attempt-at-fanart-figures-itd-be-otabek) by your truly

Otabek tentatively plucks a string or two, glancing up at JJ’s closed door. He sucks in a breath and tries again, this time more confidently - wanting to be heard.

Stops. Waits. Otabek fiddles with the guitar’s tuning pegs like Leo had shown him, but it’s almost complete guesswork. The memory of lessons guide his fingers into place, and he picks a chord. The sound isn’t perfect, but Otabek decides that it doesn’t have to be. It only needs to be good enough.

Three, two, four - he strums, and a G Major chord brightens the space. He strums more, getting the feel for it: _rum, rum da rum. Rum da rum da rum_.

He hears a door creak open, but he doesn’t look away from the frets. Switches to a G7, and the next note comes as a question. Brows furrowed, Otabek tries to answer it.

“Is…” JJ wonders from the doorway, and Otabek’s head finally bobs up. “Is that my acoustic?”

It is. “It is. Hope you don’t mind.”

“No,” JJ says, and he walks further into Otabek’s room. He stands next to the bed, shifting weight between his feet, and uncertainty isn’t a good look on him.

“Sit,” Otabek says, and the other boy does. He was never good with words - that’s more JJ’s area of expertise. So Otabek does what he can - he squares his shoulders, sets his jaw, and draws out C Major from the pliant instrument.

“What song are you playing?”

“Love In Vain Blues, but I can hardly remember it.”

JJ whistles, long and shrill, sounding more like himself than he has all day. “Didn’t take you for a blues man, Beks!” JJ grins, and then laughs genuinely at the blush rising in Otabek’s cheeks. “Try it with a more swinging rhythm. Like this, lemme show you -”

Guitars, Otabek decides, are a lot like people. They expand and constrict with the seasons; each has a different voice and different capabilities. When not properly tuned, they don’t function to their full potential - and some are more prone to sliding out of tune than others. JJ gets out of bed and tries his best every day, and he’s beautiful for it. He shines bright and burns hot, trying to outpace his inner doubts and anxieties; but even he falls flat sometimes.

“Jean,” Otabek begins softly. “Do you need to talk?”

JJ ducks his chin down, and works his lower lip between his teeth. “I don’t know.”

“Hmmm.”

“I don’t know why I’m feeling so - ugh.” He closes his eyes. “I don’t know,” he whispers again, as if he was afraid to startle the air.

“Have you taken your medicine?”

“Yeah, but. It makes me feel weird, Beks. I don’t - I don’t think I like it. I can’t sleep.” He’s an exposed nerve, Jean-Jacques Leroy. Eager to please, and desperate for affection. Otabek swallows.

“If you take your meds, I’ll stay up with you tonight.”

JJ meets his gaze, wet eyes round with guileless hope. “Will you?”

“Yeah.” Otabek feels himself smile. “Yeah, Jean. I’ll stay with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> leave a comment if you can, and come say hi to me on [tumblr!](http://badaltin.tumblr.com/)


End file.
